Design and Manufacturing of Chewing Simulation Machine

The chewing simulator is designed to perform fatigue tests and durability on a variety of dental specimens. This device, by considering the material (hard or soft) and the type of dental sample (human or animal or artificial) and by applying a specific cyclic and even static force, changes the shape of the sample microscopically and finally this periodic loading and shape change, uses the data to evaluate the fatigue and strength of the sample in the durability test. The testing process of this device will continue until the sample fails or the loading cycle is completed. At design of this device, two movement mechanisms are considered vertically and horizontally, which are responsible for chewing simulation operations, so that in both mechanisms, the movement is reciprocating, the amount and number of this movement is cyclical that is adjustable and controllable, and at the same time, considering the force measuring sensor in this device, the amount of applied force is specified and adjustable at each stage. Two specimens of teeth were placed in the machine for testing. The first priority of testing this device for the samples was their durability under the static force that was applied to the sample step by step. Also, to evaluate the function of the device in the fatigue test, dental specimens were loaded under a certain force and were affected by cyclic motion in both vertical and horizontal directions. According to studies, the refractive force of the specimens varies from 100 N to 800 N, the dental specimens, one artificial and the other natural, failed under the static force, which was in the range of 200 N, that the artificial sample was completely broken, but the natural sample was worn out and part of it was damaged. And this was a good comparison to show the strength and durability of natural teeth compared to artificial ones.